Have protocols in place for addressing HR/legal aspects (e.g., doctor clearances, restriction of work, restriction of access to common areas). Screening/monitoring generally relies upon self-reporting, although some entities are taking temperatures and using questionnaires.

Communication

Inform and remind/reinforce. We are trying to break old habits and create new habits (physical distancing, hand-hygiene, etc.)

Stay out of any areas that were occupied by the infected individual for 24 hours or as long as possible. Small droplets that are exhaled may stay airborne in closed quarters for some time.

Inform the affected parties (i.e., those who may have interacted with the infected individual). If they were following proper prevention protocols before the incident, then they should have been protected even if they interacted with the person that has the illness.

Clean and disinfect the surfaces and areas that the person interfaced with as determined during the initial assessment.

What is all the discussion around “masking” about? What are the pro’s and con’s?

There’s a lot of talk about masks in the media right now. Stay up to date with guidelines from the CDC, which have been changing in the course of this pandemic. Different types of “masks” are being discussed, often interchangeably. However, there are important differences to be aware of:

Respirators – Respirators refer to devices that are tested and certified to be effective by an organization called NIOSH. (An example of one of these certified & tested respirators is the N95.) These respirators are designed to protect the wearer, however they can provide some degree of protection for people around the wearer as they reduce the number of particles released into the air when exhaling. To ensure the effectiveness of a respirator, they need to be fit-tested to the person. With regards to an N95, these masks are really designed for a single use, but in the current situation, we may be forced to reuse them. There are various discussions underway on how to disinfect them best for reuse, but there is no definitive guidance at this time.

Surgical Masks – These are engineered masks designed to cover the mouth/nose to reduce the amount of droplets from that persons mouth/nose. They’re primarily designed to protect people from the person wearing the mask – they do very little to provide protection to the wearer.

Cloth Masks – These are made from common materials to cover the mouth/nose to reduce the amount of droplets becoming airborne from that persons mouth/nose. These are also primarily designed to protect people from the person wearing the mask. These masks are not well-studied, and they are not expected to be as protective as surgical masks or a respirator. Regardless of that, the CDC and local health departments are currently recommending their use.

False sense of security which leads to more risky behavior (e.g., more relaxed physical distancing)

The key takeaways to remember: 1) properly fitted & certified respirators are best, but surgical or cloth masks should also help reduce risk in the community to some degree if used properly, and 2) even if wearing a mask, it is still of critical importance to practice good hand hygiene and physical distancing.

Any other advice or perspectives to share?

The situation we’re in is very dynamic and it’s likely to be with us for a long time in some form until a vaccine or game-changing treatment is available. By some reports, this could last for at least a year and even as long as two years.

It’s important to think about what you will do and how you will manage your facilities when these current isolation restrictions ease up, but the virus is still out there. Make sure your infection prevention plan is flexible and incorporates a scalable series of measures based on an “infection alert level”. This would start at normal conditions, move up to seasonal flu, and move even higher for outbreak events, eventually progressing to shelter in place orders.

Don’t be surprised if this outbreak fades away and then returns later this fall. Have your plan together and be ready to respond.

Contact Us to Speak with an Environmental Health Expert Today

Have a unique problem?

Our team is skilled at understanding complex issues and providing effective solutions.